Bayesian Evidence Synthesis

Apr 27, 2016

Bayesian evidence synthesis (BES) provides a method to aggregate support from independent studies, without a need for harmonization of the data itself. With BES, the relative probability of a set of hypotheses is evaluated for each separate dataset. Only thereafter, the relative evidence is aggregated to find out which hypothesis is supported by all datasets simultaneously and is a measure of robust support. In the papers linked to this project, I applied this procedure to aggregate evidence from multiple cohort studies.

Below you find a +/- 3-minute video that I made about a publication on BES with longitudinal data from multiple cohorts and measures.

Bayesian Evidence Synthesis Informative Hypotheses Product BF

Mariëlle Zondervan-Zwijnenburg

Assistant Professor Methodology and Statistics

My ambition is to enable social science researchers to use the best methods to optimally analyze their data and answer their research questions.

Publications

Bayesian evidence synthesis in case of multi-cohort datasets: An illustration by multi-informant differences in self-control

S.T. Kevenaar, M.A.J. Zondervan-Zwijnenburg, E. Blok, H. Schmengler, M. Fakkel, E.L. De Zeeuw, E. van Bergen”, N.C. Onland-Moret, M. Peeters, M.H.J. Hillegers, D.I. Boomsma, A.J. Oldehinkel

PDF Project DOI

Robust longitudinal multi-cohort results: The development of self-control during adolescence

In this paper, we use Bayesian evidence synthesis to evaluate how self-control develops and whether there is a gender effect on its development. We find robust support for a positive development in self-control over adolescence.

M.A.J. Zondervan-Zwijnenburg, J.S. Richards, S.T. Kevenaar, A.I. Becht, H.J.A. Hoijtink, A.J. Oldehinkel, S. Branje, W. Meeus, D.I. Boomsma

PDF Project Video DOI OSF

Parental Age and Offspring Childhood Mental Health: A Multi-Cohort, Population-Based Investigation

In this article we apply Bayesian evidence synthesis to find robust evidence on the relation between parental age (both father and mother) and offspring mental health (both internalizing and externalizing).

M. A. J. Zondervan-Zwijnenburg, S.A.M. Veldkamp, A. Neumann, S.A. Barzeva, S.A. Nelemans, C.E.M. Beijsterveldt, S.J.T. Branje, M.H.J. Hillegers, W.H.J. Meeus, H. Tiemeier, H.J.A. Hoijtink, A.J. Oldehinkel, D.I. Boomsma

PDF Project Video DOI OSF